If Michael Gerson is right and the Republican Party is being ripped apart by the business imperatives of right-wing media outlets and personalities, I’d note that those same imperatives drive left-wing media, organizations and personalities.
If people want less polarized politics, and by this I do not mean that suddenly everyone agrees about everything, then they need to start thinking about how to strengthen the parties again so that they can do what their members want without being so influenced by blowhards, greedheads, and charlatans.
I’ve noted many times before that even well-meaning idealistic people get chewed up in the cynical world of political activism where success is judged by the size of your donor/email list, or how many members you can create with an action, or how many names you can get on a petition.
Unfortunately, the best way to succeed in that business is to stir up people’s outrage and to demonize your political opponents. It’s true that this is nothing new, but clearly things have changed in the internet era.
It’s the Republicans who are coming apart now, but the left is not immune at all to the same kind of forces.
